A North Lanarkshire Council chief is leaving the local authority after being handed a top job in Ayrshire. ‌

Former sports journalist Stephen Penman is the new Chief Executive of South Ayrshire Council and will take up the role when leaving his position as Strategy and Engagement chief at North Lanarkshire later this year. ‌

Penman, who grew up in Troon, will earn almost £170,000 as he bids to steer the South Ayrshire ship back on course following a chaotic year which has seen the council’s CEO and leader both quit. ‌

Before entering local government, he was sports editor at the Sunday Herald and later became the paper’s deputy editor.

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